What energy efficiency ratings mean and why they’re important

01/10/2017

More than half of your utility bills in West Valley consist of cost to heat and cool your home. To save as much money as you can, you should find a system that can provide home comfort as efficiently as possible. The better your system’s energy efficiency, the more your system is doing while using less energy. If you’re preparing to upgrade or replace your HVAC equipment, you should understand certain terms and ratings to be fully informed and get the best energy efficiency possible.

SEER (used to measure cooling efficiency)
The Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, or SEER, rating measures the cooling efficiency of your equipment at various temperatures. Higher SEER ratings signify better energy efficiency, and therefore, more affordable utility bills. For colder northern states, The Department of Energy requires a minimum 13 SEER rating. Warmer, southern states must a minimum SEER rating of 14. If your unit has a smaller SEER-rating, an upgrade could bring you a beneficial spike in energy savings.

AFUE or HSPF (used to measure heating efficiency: gas or electric)
Annualized Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) ratio identifies the percentage of heat produced for every dollar of fuel used—kind of like the miles per gallon you get from your car. Higher AFUE ratings equate to lower energy costs. So, an AFUE rating of 80 means that 80% of the heat created by your furnace is heating your home, and 20% of the heat is lost through venting.

The Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF) measures the heating efficiency of heat pumps. It is fundamentally the SEER rating for winter because it measures only heating efficiency. Like the other ratings, higher numbers indicate better energy efficiency.

At Select Comfort System Heating & Air Conditioning, you’ll find equipment with the best energy efficiency ratings. We can help you verify the energy efficiency of your current equipment and help you find ways to improve that efficiency and save money—whether with continued maintenance or with new, more efficient equipment. Just call us at 801-305-4777 or schedule an appointment with us online.

About Select Comfort System Heating & Air Conditioning

With more than 100 years in the field, Lennox has continuously offered industry-leading innovation and technology while maintaining high durability and reliability standards. The professionals at Select Comfort System Heating & Air Conditioning help bring those standards to West Valley so that you can always experience complete home comfort. If you’re searching for a new HVAC system or even if you just have a question about what we carry, give us a shout at 801-305-4777 or set up an appointment with us online. We’d love to hear from you.